Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s centre-right party, Citizens for European Development, is the likely winner of Bulgaria’s parliamentary elections, after post-referendum poll results showed it in first place on Sunday.
ADVERTISINGThe exit poll carried out by the demoscopic company Gallup International showed that Citizens for European Development of Bulgariaheaded by Boyko Borissov, he obtained 25% of the votes.
Apparently, he surpassed the reformist coalition between the party We continue the Change and the right-wing party Democratic Bulgaria by a margin of almost 10% of the votes. Initial results are expected this Monday, but it could be days before final official results are announced.
More than a difficult path for a government coalition
If these results confirm the exit poll, Boyko Borissov will receive a mandate to form his fourth cabinet. However, it appears he will find it difficult to find allies to form a governing coalition in a fragmented parliament.
Voter fatigue and disillusionment with politicians over systemic corruption have created an environment in which radical political voices, aided by widespread Russian disinformationsuccessfully undermine public support for the democratic process and boost the popularity of pro-Russian and far-right groups. In the last elections, held in June, there was no clear winner and the seven groups elected to the fragmented legislature failed to form a viable coalition.
Nine parties for a Government
Observers suggest Sunday’s vote will lead to more difficult talks between the groups in parliament, especially as their number is expected to rise to nine parties.
The endless electoral spiral has had a serious impact on Bulgaria’s economy and its foreign policy. The country risks losing billions of euros in EU recovery funds due to a lack of reforms. Full integration into the open-border Schengen area and accession to the eurozone are likely to be further delayed.
Analysts interpret these alarming signs as possible reasons for parties at both ends of the political spectrum to seek a solution based on pragmatic compromises.
A continuous pulse between pro-Western and pro-Russian forces
Bulgaria’s main pro-Russian party,Renaissancewhich pollsters had predicted would become the second-largest group in the legislature, has apparently fared weaker. The far-right, ultra-nationalist and populist party demands that Bulgaria lift sanctions against Russia, stop helping Ukraine and hold a referendum on NATO membership.
So far, the group has been isolated in parliament and there are no new signs of future collaborations. But if the majority parties in the legislature fail to resolve the deadlock, the appeal of Renaissance and other similar groups could increase and put obstacles in Bulgaria’s pro-Western path.
